1. Field of the Invention
A disposable sheath for covering telemetry leads extending from a monitoring device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Telemetry leads, also known in the art as electrical leads, are used to connect monitoring devices to human patients for monitoring vital signs on humans. Normally, one end of each telemetry lead is coupled directly to a human for receiving the human's vital sign.
The telemetry lead is also in full contact with the human's skin along its length to the monitoring device and is exposed to germs and bacteria on the human body. An example is shown in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0082644 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,056, issued Dec. 9, 2003), in the name of Picardo. Accordingly, the telemetry leads are disconnected from the human, cleaned and sterilized to kill germs before re-use on a patient. Proper cleaning and sterilization of the telemetry leads is necessary to eliminate the spread of secondary infections from one patient to another patient. Secondary infections can be spread from one patient to another because the telemetry leads are used repeatedly with various patients wherein the leads are in full contact with the patient's body. Because the telemetry leads are in direct contact with the human skin germs are easily transportable via the leads from one patient to another which can lead to a secondary infection in a subsequent patient.